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FLOOD OF 2010

Kristi Riggan's Delray Drive home was nearly paid off when the May flood struck. Five feet of water gutted the home.

She's been living in Lebanon ever since with fear of what would happen to her property, a small two-bedroom house. Those fears were assuaged Monday.

Mayor Karl Dean announced that Metro has received approval from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to purchase the first 81 homes eligible in the voluntary Hazard Mitigation Home Buyout program.

"I was very relieved to hear that the money did get appropriated," Riggan said. "You watch as Opryland rebuilds, the bus line, and everybody else before you do. It was pretty scary. This makes me feel more comfortable."

More than $7 million was awarded by FEMA, which covers about 75 percent of the cost to purchase the initial 81 homes near Delray Drive in West Nashville and West Hamilton Road in North Nashville.

The remaining cost will be split between the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency and Metro government.

Riggan is not buying another home right away. Her 21-year-old son, who is stationed in Fort Hood, Texas, is leaving for Iraq or Afghanistan next year, and she will decide by then.

"I'm just going to wait and see," Riggan said. "I am healing up, and after you lose everything it's a little rough."

Riggan's house is among the 305 properties that would be eligible for the buyout program, based on location in the flood plain and the amount of damage sustained during the May flood.

Priority was given to homes in the floodway that sustained damage greater than 50 percent of the appraised value. Homes were grouped to avoid isolating individual parcels.

To date, 249 homeowners out of the 305 eligible have expressed interest in participating in the voluntary program. Additional homes will be purchased as federal funds are made available.

Metro Water Services was tasked with putting together applications for property owners to see whether they were interested in participating in the buyout program.

They submitted those applications to TEMA, which in turn gave them to FEMA.

The damage assessment was done by Metro departments, in most cases, with help from independent appraisers, Metro Water spokeswoman Sonia Harvat said.

Properties purchased through the program will be cleared as open space. Metro can use the property to create public parks or wildlife refuges but cannot sell or develop it.

In the Delray Court cul-de-sac where Doris Waddey lives, there were seven homes. Four of the owners are not coming back. The buyout program will change the landscape of her neighborhood, but she's decided to stay, Waddey said.

"At first, there was not a living soul," she said. "Now, I am not as isolated as I thought I would be. I am here to stay. This is my home."